Push Admin

China's Xi pledges 'reunification' with Taiwan on party's birthday

Article (news)

Reuters

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/afp/07/01/20170913-xi-jinping-afp-1.jpg"/><figcaption>Chinese President Xi Jinping. <em>AFP file photo</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged on Thursday to complete &quot;reunification&quot; with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to &quot;smash&quot; any attempts at formal independence for the island, taking a tough line on the 100th birthday of the ruling Communist Party.</p><p>China considers democratically-ruled Taiwan its own territory, and under Xi has stepped up efforts to assert its sovereignty claims, including regularly sending fighter jets and bombers close to the island.</p><p>&quot;Solving the Taiwan question and realizing the complete reunification of the motherland are the unswerving historical tasks of the Chinese Communist Party and the common aspiration of all Chinese people,&quot; Xi said in an address from Beijing&#x27;s Tiananmen Square.</p><p>&quot;All sons and daughters of China, including compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, must work together and move forward in solidarity, resolutely smashing any &#x27;Taiwan independence&#x27; plots.&quot;</p><p>While China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, Xi called for a process of &quot;peaceful reunification&quot;.</p><p>Still, he said that nobody should &quot;underestimate the Chinese people&#x27;s determination, determination, and strong ability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity&quot;.</p><p>Taiwan&#x27;s Mainland Affairs Council told Reuters it was working on a response to Xi&#x27;s comments.</p><p>The defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong&#x27;s Communist Party.</p><p>Most Taiwanese have shown no interest in being ruled by China. Taiwan&#x27;s government says only the island&#x27;s people can decide their future, and has decried Chinese pressure.</p><p>China believes Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is a separatist bent on declaring independence. She says Taiwan is already an independent country called the Republic of China, its formal name. </p><p>(Reporting by Yew Lun Tian; Additional reporting by Yimou Lee in Taipei; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Jacqueline Wong &amp; Shri Navaratnam)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/06/30/21/china-raps-japans-senior-defense-official-for-calling-taiwan-country">China raps Japan’s senior defense official for calling Taiwan country</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/06/16/21/28-chinese-air-force-planes-enter-taiwans-air-defense-id-zone">28 Chinese air force planes enter Taiwan&#x27;s air defense ID zone</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/04/07/21/taiwan-says-will-fight-to-the-end-if-china-attacks">Taiwan says will fight to the end if China attacks</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1700322" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged on Thursday to complete "reunification" with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to "smash" any attempts at formal independence for the island, taking a tough line on the 100th birthday of the ruling Communist Party.<br /> </p>

Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged on Thursday to complete "reunification" with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to "smash" any attempts at formal independence for the island, taking a tough line on the 100th birthday of the ruling Communist Party.